The new potent and selective histamine H2 receptor agonist amthamine as a tool to study gastric secretion

Highly Potent, Stable, and Selective Dimeric Hetarylpropylguanidine-Type Histamine H2 Receptor Agonists

On the basis of the long-known prototypic pharmacophore 3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propylguanidine (SK&F 91486, 2), monomeric, homodimeric, and heterodimeric bisalkylguanidine-type histamine H2 receptor (H2R) agonists with various alkyl spacers were synthesized. Aiming at increased H2R selectivity of the ligands, the imidazol-4-yl moiety was replaced by imidazol-1-yl, 2-aminothiazol-5-yl or 2-amino-4-methylthiazol-5-yl according to a bioisosteric approach. All compounds turned out to be partial or full agonists at the h/gp/rH2R. The most potent analogue, the thiazole-type heterodimeric ligand 63 (UR-Po461), was a partial agonist (Emax = 88%) and 250 times more potent than histamine (pEC50: 8.56 vs 6.16, gpH2R, atrium). The homodimeric structures 56 (UR-Po395) and 58 (UR-Po448) exhibited the highest hH2R affinities (pKi: 7.47, 7.33) in binding studies. Dimeric amino(methyl)thiazole derivatives, such as 58, generated an increased hH2R selectivity compared to the monomeric analogues, e.g., 139 (UR-Po444). Although monomeric ligands showed up lower affinities and potencies at the H2R, compounds with a short alkylic side chain like 129 (UR-Po194) proved to be highly affine hH4R ligands.

Histamine H₂ receptor signaling × environment interactions determine susceptibility to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Histamine and its receptors are important in both multiple sclerosis and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). C57BL/6J (B6) mice deficient for the histamine H2 receptor (H2RKO) are less susceptible to EAE and exhibit blunted Th1 responses. However, whether decreased antigen-specific T-cell effector responses in H2RKO mice were due to a lack of H2R signaling in CD4(+) T cells or antigen-presenting cells has remained unclear. We generated transgenic mice expressing H2R specifically in T cells on the H2RKO background, and, using wild-type B6 and H2RKO mice as controls, induced EAE either in the presence or absence of the ancillary adjuvant pertussis toxin (PTX), which models the effects of infectious inflammatory stimuli on autoimmune disease. We monitored the mice for clinical signs of EAE and neuropathology, as well as effector T-cell responses using flow cytometry. EAE severity and neuropathology in H2RKO mice expressing H2R exclusively in T cells become equal to those in wild-type B6 mice only when PTX is used to elicit disease. EAE complementation was associated with frequencies of CD4(+)IFN-γ(+) and CD4(+)IL-17(+) cells that are equal to or greater than those in wild-type B6, respectively. Thus, the regulation of encephalitogenic T-cell responses and EAE susceptibility by H2R signaling in CD4(+) T cells is dependent on gene × environment interactions.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of some novel 4-(1H-benz[d]imidazol-2yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-amines

A new series of novel 4-(1H-benz[d]imidazol-2yl)-1,3-thiazol-2-amines 5a-d and 4-(1H-benz[d]imidazol-2yl)-3-alkyl-2,3-dihydro-1,3-thiazol-2-amine 8a-d has been synthesized by the cyclocondensation of 2-acetyl benzimidiazoles 4a-d and 2-bromo-1-(1-alkyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-1-ethanone 7a-d with thiourea respectively, and evaluated for their antibacterial and antifungal activity against clinical isolates of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Some of these hybrids in these series exhibited antibacterial activity comparable to standard Streptomycin and Benzyl penicillin and antifungal activity against Fluconazole. All the newly synthesized compounds were characterized by their spectral data and further used to estimate their ability towards antimicrobial activity.

Effects of histamine H2 receptor agonists and antagonists on the isolated guinea pig gallbladder

Histamine H2 receptor-mediated responses were examined on cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8)-precontracted guinea pig gallbladder in vitro, testing histamine and a series of specific histamine H2 receptor agonists and antagonists. Among the antagonists tested, zolantidine and compound SKF 92857 were previously shown to antagonize H2 receptor-mediated responses in the heart, but not in the stomach. Histamine, in the presence of the H2 receptor antagonist mepyramine (10 microM), and the H2 receptor agonists dimaprit, impromidine and amthamine, inhibited CCK-8 (3 nM)-induced contractions in a concentration-dependent fashion, with the following rank orders of potency: impromidine > amthamine > histamine > dimaprit (pD2 values were 6.73 +/- 0.04, 5.44 +/- 0.07, 4.64 +/- 0.04 and 3.71 +/- 0.05, respectively). The maximal relaxation produced by dimaprit was significantly lower than that produced by histamine, as well as by impromidine and amthamine, which behaved as full agonists. All the H2 receptor antagonists examined were able to inhibit amthamine-induced relaxation. Famotidine (pA2 = 7.09 +/- 0.26), zolantidine (pA2 = 6.54 +/- 0.11), compound SKF 92857 (pA2 = 6.58 +/- 0.13) and aminopotentidine (pA2 = 6.86 +/- 0.06) competitively antagonised the amthamine-induced effect, while iodoaminopotentidine produced surmountable antagonism only at low concentrations (1 microM, pA2 = 6.83 +/- 0.21). Finally, the slowly-dissociable antagonist loxtidine caused a non-parallel displacement to the right of the concentration--response curve to amthamine (pKB = 7.55 +/- 0.24), with a significant depression of the maximal response to the agonist, even at the lowest effective concentration (0.3 microM). In conclusion, histamine H2 receptors in guinea pig gallbladder resemble those of the heart, as regards their sensitivity to zolantidine and compound SKF 92857, which, by contrast, were unable to antagonize histamine effects at gastric H2 receptors in different experimental models.

Cardiovascular effects of the novel histamine H2 receptor agonist amthamine: interaction with the adrenergic system

The cardiovascular effects of the new histamine H2 receptor agonist amthamine were studied in the anaesthetized rat, with particular reference to a possible interaction with the adrenergic system. Amthamine (0.03-3 mumol/kg i.v.) caused vasodepressor responses which were antagonized by famotidine (3 mumol/kg i.v.). At higher doses (30-100 mumol/kg i.v.), amthamine induced a modest increase in the mean arterial pressure, which was significantly enhanced by the blockade of H2 receptors and significantly reduced by the alpha 2 adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (1 mumol/kg i.v.). The vasopressor response to amthamine was not modified in rats pre-treated with reserpine or 6-hydroxydopamine, and was only minimally modified in adrenalectomized animals, thus suggesting a predominant interaction with postjunctional alpha 2 adrenoceptors in the vascular muscle. The H2 receptor agonist dimaprit (0.3-100 mumol/kg i.v.) caused a reduction in arterial pressure, which was antagonized by famotidine, no pressor response being unmasked. Dimaprit (0.1-30 mumol/kg i.v.) did not modify heart rate but caused a modest bradycardia at 100 mumol/kg i.v. Amthamine (1-100 mumol/kg i.v.) induced a dose-dependent tachycardia, which was only partially (approximately 20%) reduced by famotidine and was totally blocked by propranolol (0.3 mg/kg i.v.). This effect was significantly reduced in rats pre-treated with reserpine or 6-hydroxydopamine and was further reduced by cocaine, thus suggesting a tyramine-like action of amthamine. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that the H2 receptor agonist amthamine can also interact with the adrenergic system when used at doses higher than those necessary to activate H2 receptors. Whereas the increase in blood pressure induced by amthamine seems to be mainly mediated by a direct activation of postjunctional alpha 2 adrenoceptors, the increase in heart rate is predominantly due to neuronal release of catecholamines. These effects should be considered when using amthamine in cardiovascular or other studies when high doses are employed.

Molecular pharmacological aspects of histamine receptors

In this article, we review the recent developments in the field of histamine research. Besides the description of pharmacological tools for the H1, H2 and H3 receptor, specific attention is paid to both the molecular aspects of the receptor proteins, including the recent cloning of the receptor genes, and their respective signal transduction mechanisms.

Positive inotropic activity of the novel histamine H2-receptor agonist, amthamine, on the human heart in vitro

1. We tested the novel thiazole derivative, amthamine, for its ability to stimulate histamine H2-receptors in the human myocardium. 2. Experiments were carried out on isolated, electrically-driven pectinate muscle segments, excised from atrial appendages of patients undergoing corrective heart surgery. 3. Amthamine (0.3-100 microM) induced a positive inotropic activity, resembling histamine in terms of potency and efficacy. In comparison, impromidine was 10-30 times more active than histamine and amthamine, but its maximum effect was significantly lower, while dimaprit was as effective as histamine, but 10 times less potent. 4. The selective histamine H2-blocker, famotidine antagonized in a competitive fashion the amthamine-induced positive inotropic effect. pA2 value of famotidine against amthamine (7.21 +/- 0.45) was close to that measured against histamine (6.88 +/- 0.31) in the same conditions. 5. The effect of amthamine was not modified by beta-adrenoceptor blockade, excluding direct or indirect sympathomimetic activities of the compound. 6. These data provide evidence that amthamine is a selective and full acting histamine H2-receptor agonist in the human heart in vitro.

In vitro cardiac pharmacology of the new histamine H2-receptor agonist amthamine: comparisons with histamine and dimaprit

The cardiac activity of the novel histamine H2-receptor agonist amthamine was investigated in a variety of isolated heart preparations from guinea pigs and humans and in the isolated rabbit aorta. Amthamine caused an increase in the sinus rate of spontaneously beating guinea-pig atria (pD2 = 6.72) and in the contractility of the electrically driven guinea-pig papillary muscle (pD2 = 6.17) and of the human atrium (pD2 = 5.38). In all these systems, amthamine behaved as a full agonist with a potency comparable to or slightly higher than that of histamine and 10 times higher than that of dimaprit. The positive effects of amthamine were competitively antagonized by ranitidine which had pA2 values (6.46 and 6.25 in the guinea-pig atria and papillary muscle, respectively) comparable with those calculated against histamine and dimaprit. In the isolated rabbit aorta amthamine was devoid of H1-mediated activities up to 3 x 10(-4) M. These results indicate that amthamine is a potent and selective histamine H2-receptor agonist which can be considered a valuable tool for investigating H2-receptor mediated effects in cardiac tissues.